PTC Joins Citizens Against Religious Bigotry in Calling on Comedy Central to Can Offensive “JC”

LOS ANGELES (June 3, 2010) – The Parents Television Council™ joined the newly formed Citizens Against Religious Bigotry coalition in calling for Comedy Central not to air its offensive animated series, “JC,” that is currently in development, citing that consumers should not have to pay for this kind of material on their cable bill. The PTC is also warning all past and potential Comedy Central advertisers about the show and asking that they refuse to sponsor it.

“When [Media Research Center President and PTC Founder] Brent Bozell first contacted me about the Coalition, I eagerly accepted his invitation to join. Even though the PTC is not a faith-based organization, the core principles underlying this effort are in perfect harmony with the PTC’s mission and – in particular – are in perfect harmony with two of our most critical programs: Cable Choice and Advertiser Accountability. It is astounding that Comedy Central would create a program meant to pointedly offend a majority of the American people,” said PTC President Tim Winter.

“For too long a time, some here in Hollywood have used the notion of being offensive to everyone as cover. Comedy Central, and by extension – its corporate parent, Viacom – singularly have been the worst offenders with this twisted rationale. Comedy Central has consistently demonstrated behavior that is shockingly anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, and patently offensive to African Americans, Hispanic Americans and many others. For instance, the network’s former program, Drawn Together, included jokes about ‘Jew Crows’ rather than scare crows, intended to keep Jews away from the neighborhood; and references to African American women who would lactate chocolate milk. Such contemptible corporate behavior cannot stand.

“While Comedy Central has a right to offend me, they do not have a right to force me to pay them to offend me. And if Americans who cherish their religious and cultural values had an opportunity to ‘unsubscribe’ to Comedy Central, countless millions would.

“Viacom requires us all to purchase Comedy Central, as well as MTV, BET, VH1 and Spike, in order to gain access to Nickelodeon or TV Land. No other entertainment medium forces a consumer to purchase its products in such bundles. Not only do we believe this is morally wrong, we also believe it is illegal. And this product bundling scheme is in place whether you receive your video programming from a cable system like Comcast or Time Warner; from a satellite provider like Dish or DirecTV; or from a telephone company like Verizon or AT&T.

“From the PTC’s point of view, it is unconscionable that American consumers are forced to purchase cable channels that they don’t want, don’t watch, and may actually find harmful or offensive; in order to purchase cable channels that are educational, informative, uplifting and entertaining.

“The PTC is also committed to holding television sponsors publicly accountable for the programming they underwrite by virtue of their advertising dollars. An advertiser’s corporate image cannot be separated from the content they choose to underwrite with their media buy.

“The Association of National Advertisers recently reported that the type of show in which a television commercial airs can hinder or help the effectiveness of that advertising by more than 30%. In such tight economic times, no corporation in America can knowingly waste 30% of its advertising budget. And when the program content offends the values, sensibilities and beliefs of a majority of Americans, the waste far exceeds 30% of the media buy.

“The advertising community needs to open its eyes to the fact that they are the ultimate consumer when it comes to television. They hold the checkbooks and they have the power to push back when program content conflicts with the values of their customers.

“Members of every faith and every walk of life find occasion to laugh at themselves and the stereotypes that may crop up. But that must be totally distinguished from religious hatred and intolerance that is embodied in Comedy Central’s dramatic cable television bigotry.”

To speak with a representative
from the Parents Television Council, please contact Kelly Oliver
(ext. 140) or Megan Franko (ext. 148) at (703) 683-5004.

The Parents Television Council™ (www.parentstv.org®)
is a non-partisan education organization advocating responsible entertainment.
It was founded in 1995 to ensure that children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence
and profanity on television and in other media. This national
grassroots organization has more than 1.3 million members across the
United States, and works with television producers, broadcasters,
networks and sponsors in an effort to stem the flow of harmful and
negative messages targeted to children. The PTC also works with
elected and appointed government officials to enforce broadcast
decency standards. Most importantly, the PTC produces critical
research and publications documenting the dramatic increase in sex,
violence and profanity in entertainment. This information is
provided free of charge so parents can make informed viewing choices
for their own families.

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